Volume Converter
Convert volume between millilitres, litres, cubic metres, teaspoons, tablespoons, fluid ounces, cups, pints, quarts, and gallons.
How to use this tool
- Enter volume and from unit in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type — or click Calculate.
- Read your cups (us) and the full breakdown beneath it.
Formula
All units convert to millilitres first, then to the target unit:
mL = input × factorfrom
output = mL ÷ factorto
Key factors: mL = 1 | L = 1000 mL | m³ = 1,000,000 mL | tsp = 4.929 mL | tbsp = 14.787 mL | fl oz = 29.574 mL | cup = 236.588 mL | pt = 473.176 mL | qt = 946.353 mL | gal = 3785.412 mL
How it works
The converter uses millilitres as the pivot unit because it is directly equal to 1 cm³, simplifying relationships with both metric and US customary volume units. Each input is scaled to millilitres then re-divided into the target unit's equivalent, producing simultaneous results across all scales.
A critical common mistake is treating US and Imperial (UK) fluid ounces, pints, and gallons as identical: a US fluid ounce is 29.574 mL while a UK fluid ounce is 28.413 mL, and a US gallon (3785 mL) is about 17% smaller than a UK gallon (4546 mL). This calculator uses US customary units exclusively.
Worked example
Convert 1 litre to all volume units
- Input: 1 litre (from_unit = liter), so base in mL = 1 × 1000 = 1000 mL.
- Cubic metres: 1000 / 1,000,000 = 0.001 m³. Teaspoons: 1000 / 4.929 ≈ 202.884 tsp. Tablespoons: 1000 / 14.787 ≈ 67.628 tbsp.
- Fluid ounces: 1000 / 29.574 ≈ 33.814 fl oz. Cups: 1000 / 236.588 ≈ 4.2268 cups.
- Pints: 1000 / 473.176 ≈ 2.1134 pt. Quarts: 1000 / 946.353 ≈ 1.0567 qt. Gallons: 1000 / 3785.412 ≈ 0.26417 gal.
1000 mL | 1 L | 0.001 m³ | 202.884 tsp | 67.628 tbsp | 33.814 fl oz | 4.2268 cup | 2.1134 pt | 1.0567 qt | 0.26417 gal
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing US and Imperial fluid ounces -- a US fl oz is 29.574 mL while a UK fl oz is 28.413 mL; cocktail recipes and medicine labels can differ noticeably.
- Using US gallon factors for UK (Imperial) gallons -- a US gallon is 3.785 L but an Imperial gallon is 4.546 L, a 20% difference.
- Confusing cubic centimetres (cc) with millilitres -- they are numerically equal (1 cc = 1 mL), but medical and automotive contexts sometimes treat them as distinct.
Key terms
- Litre (L)
- The primary metric unit of volume, equal to 1000 mL or exactly 1 cubic decimetre.
- US fluid ounce (fl oz)
- A US customary unit of volume equal to 29.5735 mL, 1/8 of a US cup, or 1/128 of a US gallon.
- US gallon (gal)
- A US customary unit of volume equal to 3785.41 mL or 128 US fluid ounces. Distinct from the Imperial gallon (4546 mL).
- Cubic metre (m³)
- The SI unit of volume equal to 1,000,000 mL or 1000 litres, commonly used in engineering and bulk fluid measurement.
Frequently asked questions
- Are millilitres and cubic centimetres the same?
- Yes, 1 mL = 1 cm3 exactly. The two terms are interchangeable in practice, though mL is preferred in chemistry and medicine while cc is common in automotive and medical injection contexts.
- How many cups are in a litre?
- There are approximately 4.227 US cups in one litre (since 1 cup = 236.588 mL). For quick estimation, 4 cups is a common approximation.
- Why does a US gallon differ from a UK gallon?
- The US customary gallon was derived from the older Queen Anne wine gallon (231 in3), while the UK Imperial gallon was redefined in 1824 to equal the volume of 10 pounds of water (about 277.4 in3). The two systems diverged and were never reconciled.